Happy, Together, Holding Each Other
by jewel2687
Summary: What happens after the fifth season finale faded to black? With Kidd, Otis, Kannell, Severide, Hermann, Mouch, and Casey all trapped, and some of them in dire straights, who makes it back to their loved ones to be happy, together, and hold each other? One shot.


Author's Note: So if you read the summary, you know that this is basically a what happens next story based on My Miracle. I know that it's been a few months, but I've spent most of the summer working this (when I had the time at least). Was beginning to think I might not finish before the premiere, but phew with 20 days to go it's ready. Would there have been a point to publishing this after 6x01? I know there's other things I probably should have spent the summer working on, but my mind was filled with snippets of scenes and character's thoughts and I just couldn't resist.

This story is quite long (I contemplated breaking it up but I thought it worked better as a one short). Given the length, I won't bore you with too much up here so onto the story. Enjoy, and as always, when you're done reading, please let me know what you thought.

* * *

 **Happy, Together, Holding Each Other**

"Matt," Gabby called desperately into her radio as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks and she stared helplessly at the raging inferno that had trapped her husband. "Matt!"

The lack of a response was like a knife through her heart as his words from a few moments ago replayed through her head. From the moment he said he had taken his mask off because he wanted her to hear his voice, she knew he was saying goodbye. As beautiful as his words were, as much they had meant to her, she would have given anything, done anything for him not to have wound up in a position where he felt he had to say them. She still would give anything, do anything if it would ensure or even just increase the odds that he made it back to her alive. At this point, her frustration with him over the past several days was long forgotten. The only thing that mattered was how much she loved and needed him. Still, the arguing and the annoyance she knew they both had felt wasn't supposed to be how they ended. It wasn't fair that their last in person conversation had ended in her storming off. It wasn't fair that after less than six months of marriage she was most likely on the verge of losing the most important person in her life. When they got here, she and everyone else, had known this fire was really bad. Why hadn't she told him that she loved him and that she was sorry before he went in there?

She had long since blocked out most of what was going on around her, only partially paying attention to the Chief, hoping to hear something positive about her husband's situation. Only he wasn't having any more luck getting a response from Matt than she was. In fact, he seemed to be having trouble reaching anyone inside the building. The fact that it wasn't just Matt stuck in there but so many of their friends quickly crossed her mind. Did the fact right now the only person whose fate she cared about was Matt's make her a horrible person? It's not that she wanted her friends to die, but at the moment, their lives for her husband's seemed like a worthwhile trade.

"Severide talk to me?" Boden called into his radio as another explosion rocked the building, but only static came from the other end.

From behind her Gabby thought she heard Fleming from Engine 51 say that at this point, there was no way anyone was making it out of there alive. She was tempted to turn around and smack him, but she couldn't take her focus off of what was happening in front of her. What's more she was terrified he was right. There was no way anyone else could get in to help. Matt was one of the best firefighters she'd ever known. If he didn't see a way out, how much hope was there really? Her tears got heavier and heavier until finally her body was racked with heartbroken and pain-filled sobs.

"I love you too," Gabby whispered as her body gave out and grief-stricken, she collapsed onto the ground. She briefly wondered if she could muster the energy to make it past Boden and the Squad guys let alone into the building. If this fire was going to take her husband, it might as well take her too. She quickly pushed the thought out of her head though. As tempting as it was, she knew it wasn't what Matt would want.

"Gabby," she heard Brett quietly say as the younger woman approached her. Gabby felt her partner crouch down next to her and reach to wrap an arm around her, but she quickly pushed the woman away. The only person Gabby wanted right now was Matt.

* * *

"Gabby, I love you," as far as last words went, Matt thought those four were pretty good. They were the truest thing he could have said, and that was why he had stopped there even though had he had the time he could have talked for hours about how deeply he loved her and how she was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Instinctively he reached for his mask, putting it back on despite the fact that his head told him that doing so was just prolonging the inevitable. Regardless he knew he didn't have much time. It was getting unbearably hot in here. The fire was continuing to spread rapidly and was fast approaching where he sat. By the time they would be able to get his body out of here, he had no doubt it would be pretty badly burnt, probably barely recognizable at best. He just hoped they'd somehow keep Gabby away. He didn't want her to have to see him like that. What he knew his death alone would do to her was bad enough.

Still, he knew his wife. She'd insist on seeing his body, and he doubted there was anything anyone would be able to do to stop her. When Gabby got her mind on something, well, it was one of the many things that made her so amazing.

He didn't want to die. It's not that he was afraid of it, but he hated the very thought. He hated what it meant. He'd never see Gabby again. He'd never hear the beautiful sounds that were her voice and her laugh again. He'd never hold her again or kiss her or make love to her. He'd never get to feel the pure joy that came from just being in the same room as her or the contentment that accompanied waking up first and watching her sleep peacefully in his arms.

All he still had was the happiness that came from just thinking about her so that's what he would do. This room and this fire may be the last physical thing he saw, but he wanted the last image he saw to be her beautiful face so he closed his eyes and pictured her in his mind. The image he saw was had her face contorted in a look of devastation and the big brown eyes he loved so much were red as tears streamed down her cheeks. It was what he imagined she must look like right now because it's what he knew he would look like if their situations were reversed. Shaking his head as if to force the image away, he focused on his memories of her. Next he saw her as she had been barely an hour ago, upset and storming out of his quarters. He should have gone home last night. In their line of work, he should have known better than to let something form a wedge between them right before a shift. One of them not making it home had always been a possibility. The fact that he was about to die was proof of that. It was his one regret.

That wasn't what he wanted to remember though. He wanted to remember Gabby the way he'd told her to remember them: happy, together, holding each other. Trying to push everything else out of his mind, he focused on the good memories. How he couldn't stop staring as she walked into 51 for the first time. The night he'd shown up at her apartment, desperate to admit how he'd felt about her, and they'd begun. The moment she'd opened the door, allowing him to lay eyes on her, he'd though the sight of her in that little black dress was the sexiest thing he would ever see. Now he knew he'd only thought that because he hadn't known about all the other incredibly sexy outfits he was going to see her in and not in. Her sitting on the couch in their apartment looking at him with love in her eyes and a smile on her face. She has such a beautiful smile. He hoped she would smile again. The way she looked waking up in the morning in their bed with her hair a mess and her eyes half filled with sleep. It was one of his favorite ways to see her. Probably because he was the only one who got to see her that way. There had always been something different when she woke in her bunk at the firehouse with every around compared to when she woke up in their bed with just him. The way her face shown with happiness and love as they finally said I do.

With those thoughts and images in his head, he knew he would die a happy man.

* * *

Finally, Severide and Kannell managed to break their way into the room Casey was trapped in.

"Casey," they both called as their eyes scanned the room in search of their friend only no response came. Seeing that Matt clearly was not in front of them and knowing that time was running out, Severide decided it would be best that the two men split up.

"You take the left, I'll take the right," Severide ordered, prompting Kannell to simply nod in response before moving away from his lieutenant. Severide then turned towards his right and started sweeping that part of the room. After a few steps, he finally spotted something through the flames. Near the far corner there appeared to be a man in firefighter gear sitting or perhaps slouched over. He couldn't quite tell which.

"Casey, can you hear me?" he shouted towards the figure only to find that he still was not getting any response. At this point, he wasn't sure if the fire and the sounds of the building were too loud or if the man was no longer conscious.

"Over here," he turned his head towards Kannell and informed Squad 3's newest member before racing towards his fellow lieutenant, hoping they weren't too late.

* * *

"No," Hermann shouted as Mouch stopped moving. Reaching down he slid his fingers below Mouch's mask and felt for a pulse. Relief washed through him as he discovered one. It was slow but it was definitely still there. Mouch wasn't dead as Hermann had originally feared. He had lost consciousness, and that wasn't a good sign, especially considering the circumstances, but at least it was the better of the two options.

"Come on big guy," Hermann said as he remembered his Chief's words from earlier and lifted Mouch off the ground. The man was a little heavy, but he was a firefighter. He was more than capable of carrying him. He could do this. He could get them out of here and keep Mouch alive.

Making sure that Mouch was secure in his arms, he took a quick look around the room, making sure he still had his bearings. Then he sprinted through the flames towards what he believed was the exit, only stopping when he ran into someone on the other side.

"Woah," Otis's voice called out as the firefighter tried and failed to stop himself from falling over after the collision.

"What happened?" Kidd asked as she motioned towards the unconscious Mouch while Otis picked himself up off the floor. They hadn't heard the earlier conversation between Hermann and Boden.

"Heart attack I think," Hermann explained. "What are you still doing in here? Chief ordered everyone out."

"We weren't able to get out the way we came in. The path was blocked by the fire, and now it doesn't look like there's any way to safely get to the front entrance. We've been trying to find another exit," Kidd told him. "Can't get through to the Chief though. Our radios haven't been working since right after we were ordered out. You been able to get through?"

"I was a few minutes ago. Haven't tried since. Come to think of it though, it's not like the Chief to not be in contact right now," Hermann replied. "This isn't good."

"We need to keep moving and trying to get out of here," Otis pointed out. The three of them were still standing in the same spot where Hermann ran him over. With those words though, they stated walking again, Mouch still in Hermann's arms.

* * *

"Look," Capp called as he pointed to his left, where something seemed to be coming out the side of the building.

Gabby was too lost in her own emotions to hear him. Everyone else looked though and saw the something stand up. It was clearly a person. Then another outline, that also looked like it could be a person was passed through the window and into the arms of the first person to emerge from the building. The firefighters and paramedics couldn't make out who it was, but at least some of the seven trapped firefighters were going to survive this.

"Gabby," Brett said as she approached her partner again. Even though they weren't sure who it was, she figured the woman would want to know. Only Gabby didn't respond positively. She pushed Brett away and curled further into herself, prompting Brett to try again as like Capp she pointed towards the side of the building people were coming out of. "Gabby…I can't tell who yet, but it looks like some of them made it out."

For Gabby, those last six words were the first thing that registered in what felt like a lifetime. She was afraid to hope, but something inside her told her she needed to look up so she cautiously lifted her head, her eyes moving in the direction Brett was pointing. The sight that greeted her made her glad she did. Three figures were walking towards them. The two on the sides were clearly supporting the one in the middle. She didn't need to get close enough to make out the facial features or read the name on the back of the turnout coat to know exactly who that last man was. She knew the outline of that body, even in turnout gear, and the way it walked too well to have any doubt.

Pushing herself off the ground, she started running as fast as she could, probably faster than she'd ever run in her life, towards the three men. It still felt like it was taking too long. She finally made it though, throwing her arms around the man in the middle as she crashed into him with such force that if it wasn't for the two men who had been helping to hold him up, they surely would have wound up on the ground. Although the tears continued to stream down her face, they quickly shifted from tears of heartbreak and sorrow to tears of pure joy. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, barely managing to do so without hitting her head on his mask. Thank God he had put that back on.

As soon as Severide and Kannell let him go, Matt wrapped his arms around Gabby, holding her just as tightly as she held him. Ignoring the pain where his wife's head was buried in his neck, he instead basked in the feeling of holding her close. Having thought he'd never get to have her in his arms again, he was going to cherish the moment for as long as it lasted.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until Gabby pulled away slightly, leaving a few inches between them. She reached up, taking off his helmet and then his mask, tossing them to the ground, not really caring about them. The gear was pretty sturdy anyways. She just wanted to take him in. Covered in dirt and sweat, he looked a little worse for wear, but he was definitely still her Matt. His face had a smile on it as he stared into her eyes, his arms still wrapped around her as if he didn't want to let her go. She knew the feeling. A burn had formed on right side of his neck. A minor second degree burn if she had to guess. Severide and Kannell must have just gotten to him in time. That was where her head had been. There's no way she didn't irritate it. Why didn't he say something? Reaching up she cupped his face in her hands, needing to feel the contours of it as if to confirm it was really him.

"Matt," she said softly as she tried to control her emotions.

"Gabby," he replied simply, revealing that his voice was slightly horse, as he let her go so that he could wipe away her tears.

"Is this real?" she asked. As much as she didn't want to, she had to consider the possibility that she'd passed out from grief and this was simply some glorious fantasy.

"It's real. I'm here. I'm okay," he reassured her.

"Good," she said before leaning in to kiss him passionately. The kiss lasted a minute or so until Matt broke away coughing uncontrollably.

"Matt, are you okay?" Gabby asked as she looked at him with concern.

"I'm fi –" Matt managed to get out before the coughing became too much.

"Hey, let's get you checked out," her paramedic instincts finally kicked in. If it had been anyone else, she would have insisted on checking them out a lot earlier, but her relief at seeing her husband had overridden her judgement. She had started to guide him towards 61 when Capp called out again.

"Someone else is coming," the squad member once again drew everyone's attention towards the same window Casey, Severide, and Kannell had emerged from. Just like before one figure emerged and then a second person was passed out of the window to them. The difference was that afterwards two more people emerged.

"Mouch," Cruz called out once the group started to realize who it was.

"I'm pretty sure he's still alive. Just unconscious," Hermann called back.

Brett started to move towards them. Gabby gave her partner a look though indicating that she should take Mouch to one of the other ambulances that was on scene. She knew that Mouch needed serious medical attention, but she also knew all the paramedics who were here. They were certainly capable of taking care of him. Besides, Matt was still her first priority, and she had no intention of letting him out of her arms for longer than was necessary to examine him.

Reaching 61, Gabby guided him to take a seat on the gurney. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the two paramedics from Ambulance 42 head to assist Brett with Mouch. She gave them, a slight nod before turning her attention back towards her husband, whose coughing had seemed to calm down a little.

"Is this really necessary?" Matt asked as he watched her reach for a stethoscope.

"Yes. It would be one thing if it was just the burn. That doesn't look all that serious, but you need to be checked for smoke inhalation," she sternly replied. She knew he hated hospitals and getting treatment for anything that required more than a quick band aid, but after spending who knows how long in a burning building without his mask on, how could he even think there was a possibility he could get out of here with just a quick once over from her? "Next time don't take off your mask."

"I didn't think it was going to matter. I didn't think I was getting out of there alive, and I wanted, no I needed, you to know and hear exactly how I feel Gabby," he explained. Fortunately, he had stopped coughing at this point, allowing the words to come out clearly.

"I need you to take a deep breath for me," Gabby instructed as she placed the stethoscope against his chest. There was so much she wanted to say in response to those words, but she knew she couldn't right now. Instead she did everything she could to keep the fresh round of tears that his words had brought to the surface at bay and focus on the task at hand. The fact that on the surface he mostly appeared okay didn't mean anything. Not when it came to smoke inhalation where symptoms could be delayed. His long-term health, maybe even his life, depended on her being a paramedic first and a wife second.

Listening closely, she noticed he was wheezing. Given the circumstances, that fact didn't really surprise her, but it did confirm that she had reason to be concerned about smoke inhalation.

"Matt, are you experiencing any shortness of breath or any other trouble breathing?" she asked.

"No," he said but the word seemed to be a trigger as he started coughing again.

"Good," Gabby replied. Even though he was coughing again, his response made her feel a little better. She knew him well enough to know that he wasn't lying. "To be safe I still want to check your airway though. Can you lay down for me?"

Matt nodded and shifted positions, reaching for her hand and squeezing it reassuringly as he did do so. He wanted to give her a reassuring smile as well, but the coughing made it too difficult. Despite her attempt to keep the emotion out of her voice, he could tell she was worried and still freaked out about what had happened in that factory. That was why he let her examine him without protest. He knew she needed him to.

"Alright, I need you to open your mouth so I can take a look," Gabby said a minute or so later once the coughing had subsided and she'd grabbed a pen light. Matt obliged, and a sense of relief washed through Gabby as she got a look at his airway. It was a bit red and probably slightly irritated, but otherwise, it looked okay. They'd need to run more tests when they got to the hospital and they'd probably still put him on oxygen, but from what she could tell, he didn't need to be intubated and there likely wasn't any real damage.

* * *

"Pulse is weak, but it's still there," Scott Price, the PIC on Ambulance 42 said after they had gotten Mouch on the gurney he and his partner had brought over.

"Breathing is shallow," Carlos Perez of Ambulance 42 gave the results of his own examination.

"What can I do?" Brett asked.

"I think we've got it from here," Price said. "We're gonna take him to Med. I assume you'll all want to meet us there once everything is under control here."

"Yeah," Otis simply replied.

"Someone needs to call Trudy," Hermann said as they watched Price and Perez wheel Mouch towards their rig.

"That's my responsibility," Boden said even though it was one he wasn't looking forward to. "Brett, you and Dawson get Casey to Med. We'll see you there."

* * *

"I love you too," Gabby said as Ambulance 61 raced towards the hospital. Brett was behind the wheel while she was in back with Matt. Although she had forgone her usual seat for a spot on the floor next to the gurney since it gave her a better view of her husband and put her in a position where she could hold his hand or cup his face.

"What?" Matt wasn't sure what had triggered that statement. The word came out a bit distorted though thanks the oxygen mask Gabby had insisted on hooking him up to despite his protests. She understood it though.

"When you told me you love me earlier, I didn't respond," Gabby explained. "Responding meant saying goodbye. I couldn't bring myself to do that, but I want you to know that I love you too. I always have. I always will."

"I know," Matt offered a smile unaware that she couldn't see it through the oxygen mask.

As her eyes once again started to water, Gabby leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead. She didn't immediately sit back up though. Instead despite the awkwardness of the angle, she rested her head against his, wanting to be closer to him for a few moments.

"Don't cry," Matt mumbled through the mask as soon as he felt her tears hit his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, it's just –" Gabby's voice trailed off.

"I know," Matt understood what she couldn't say. "I'm sorry I put you through that, but I'm still here. You're still stuck with me."

"I'm not stuck and even if I was, there's no one I'd rather be stuck with," Gabby said as she finally pulled away.

"We're about two minutes out," Brett called from the front, interrupting the moment between the couple.

"I should examine you again," Gabby snapped back into paramedic mode. She'd been checking his airway and breathing every few minutes to make sure nothing had changed. Completing her examine just as Brett was getting out of the ambo and opening the back doors, Gabby was glad to once again come to the conclusion that he hadn't gotten worse since she first examined him.

"Matthew Casey. 35-year old male firefighter with smoke inhalation symptoms and a burn on his neck. Took his SCBA mask off during a call," Gabby relayed to April and a doctor she didn't recognize as they wheeled Matt into the ED. "Airway looks good. Doesn't appear to have been impacted by the burn. Heavy coughing and breath sounds indicate wheezing."

"You're going to Four," Maggie called as they made their way past her.

Once in the room, they completed the handoff. Brett went to wait outside, but Gabby stayed rooted in her spot, not about to leave her husband's side. The doctor noticed and stopped his exam of Matt to glare at her.

"You can go now. The real medical professionals have it from here," the doctor condescendingly told her. Normally, Gabby would have been enraged at being told she wasn't a real medical professional, but under these circumstances, she didn't have the energy to argue. Moreover, she needed him to focus on Matt not her so she tried to calmly make her position clear.

"My place is right here, and if you really have it, you'll actually examine –," she started to say before getting cut off.

"I don't need some simple paramedic in the way while I take care of _my_ patient, let alone telling me how to do _my_ job. I'm the one who went to medical school," the doctor said rudely before turning his attention to April. "Nurse, please escort this woman out of my exam room."

"Don't talk –," Matt started to try to defend Gabby but was cut off when he started coughing again. He didn't want her to leave and he certainly wasn't about to just let someone treat his wife like that.

"Now look what you've done," Gabby got angry at the doctor as she reached for Matt's hand. "And for your information, I'm not here as a paramedic."

"Me? If you had left instead of interfering, I'd have been able to examine him already," the doctor shot back. "Now leave before I call security."

"Dr. Cain," April interjected herself into their argument in an attempt to calm the situation down. "In addition to being a paramedic, and a very good one, Gabby is also Lt. Casey's wife. That's why she's staying," she then turned her attention to Gabby, giving her an apologetic look. "Gabby, I'm on your side, but can you give us a little more space to examine Matt. You don't have to leave the room, but if you could grab a seat for now, you can move back over here as soon as Dr. Cain's finished his initial exam."

Gabby just nodded, giving Matt's hand a squeeze before retreating to the chair in the corner. She wasn't thrilled with it, but it was at least a compromise she could live with. Plus, she still had a good view of Matt and what was going on. She offered Matt a small smile when a few seconds after she sat down he stopped coughing.

"I love you," she mouthed to him.

"Take a deep breath," Dr. Cain instructed as he took out his stethoscope and moved to listen to Matt's breath sounds. Only Matt didn't oblige.

"How's Mouch?" he asked instead as he started to sit up.

"I told you to take a deep breath," Dr. Cain barked at Matt. Gabby couldn't help but wonder what she had done for her husband to wind up with this ass for a doctor after she nearly lost him.

"Matt, please let him take a look at you. There's only so much I could do in the field. We can find out about Mouch later," Gabby said even though she didn't think it would be enough. She wasn't surprised that was where his mind was. Of course he would care more about his men than himself right now. It was who he was. It was part of why she admired him as a lieutenant and one of the reasons she fell in love with him so easily. At the same time, it wasn't who she was though. Even now, when he was alive and safe in a hospital bed, his well-being was still pretty much the only thing she cared about.

"I need to know. He was under my command," Matt's protest brought the crux of why he was asking to the fore. There was no way Matt could have known Mouch was going to have a heart attack, and odds were that he would have had one even if he wasn't in a dangerous, burning building, carrying all that gear. That didn't stop Matt from feeling responsible though.

"I'm sure someone will give us an update as soon as they can, but you need to let them look at you. Please. For me," Gabby pleaded with both her words and her eyes, giving her husband a look that she knew he had a hard time saying no to.

It worked too as Matt lay back down and inhaled deeply and then exhaled as Dr. Cain wanted. He repeated the action several times while the doctor moved the stethoscope around his chest.

"Definitely some wheezing, but otherwise good all things considered," Dr. Cain observed, prompting Gabby to glare at him. She had already told him that during the hand off. She knew they had to keep listening to Matt's breath sounds, but didn't it make more sense to start with something that hadn't been done in the ambulance?

"Airway doesn't look to be obstructed," he added once he'd taken a look, further enraging Gabby. "Although I won't rule out the need for a bronchoscopy yet."

"Can you please do something I didn't already do?" Gabby's annoyance finally got the best of her.

"Mrs. Casey, I've told you not to interfere," he coolly replied. "You can either know your place or I'll have you removed."

"What's your problem?" Matt asked angrily.

"Nurse, get a complete blood count, basic metabolic profile, and arterial blood gas. I'd also like to do a chest x-ray. Let's get him oxygen, and you can give him a cough suppressant but nothing more on that front until after we've done the chest x-ray. Also take care of the burn," Dr. Cain ignored Matt in favor of giving instructions to April.

"Yes Doctor," April replied simply as she headed towards a cabinet in the corner of the room that housed the phlebotomy supplies.

"Lieutenant, I'll be back once we have your test results. If you are having trouble breathing or anything, please let someone know. Although something tells me your wife will be screaming about it," Dr. Cain said. He gave Gabby one last glare before quickly leaving the room, not leaving time for anyone to respond.

"I'm sorry about him," April said once Dr. Cain was out of the room. "It's his second day and so far he's treated everyone like that. The man seems to have skipped the class in med school where they teach the importance of having a bedside manner."

"Nurse?" Gabby questioned as she moved back to Matt's bedside now that Dr. Cain was gone.

"Yeah, when I said everyone, I didn't just mean patients and their families," April clarified. "He hasn't bothered trying to learn any of the nurse's names. Just keeps referring to all of us as 'Nurse.' He's still a jerk to the doctor's, but he does treat them a little better. I think he looks down on anyone who didn't go to med school. I don't think anyone here likes him at this point."

"Any way Matt can get a different doctor?" Gabby asked even though she knew the answer. This day had been hard enough without having to continue dealing with that man.

"Sorry," April said as she returned to Matt's bedside. "Left or right arm?"

"Doesn't matter," Matt answered.

"He's right-handed," Gabby pointed out.

"Left it is then," April said as she took his arm and wrapped a tourniquet around it just above his elbow. Inserting the needle, she drew enough vials of blood to run the tests Dr. Cain ordered before replacing the needle with gauze. She then turned her attention to the oxygen mask. "Can you lean forward Matt?"

He obliged and she put an oxygen mask on his face. Ignoring the fact that he clearly wasn't happy about it, she hooked the mask up to the oxygen flow in the room and made sure he was properly connected to the machines that would monitor his vitals.

"I'll be back in a few minutes with the cough suppressant and some cream for the burn," April told them once she was done.

"Can you also see what you can find out about Mouch?" Matt asked her.

"Of course," April replied.

"So Mrs. Casey, huh?" Matt teased once April had left the exam room. As far as he knew it was the first time anyone had called her that.

"Well, I am. Just because I never changed my name doesn't mean I'm not really Mrs. Casey. I am, and I'm very happy about that. I know I was hesitant about marriage. Terrified of the idea really, but now that we are married, being your wife is one of the greatest joys of my life," Gabby told him.

"For me to," he hoped she could see his smile through the oxygen mask.

Gabby took a seat on the edge of the bed, positioning herself so that she was facing Matt. Looking him in the eye, she took one of his hands in one of hers and placed her other hand against the side of face before speaking again.

"Don't you ever do something like that again," her voice was filled with emotional as her eyes started watering again. "I'm not okay with losing you right now or like that. You're not allowed to die on me Matthew Casey. Not until we've grown old and grey together, and our grandchildren have grown into wonderful adults. You hear me? Old, grey, wonderful adult grandchildren. I need at least fifty years with you."

"Yes ma'am," Matt said with a chuckle before getting more serious. "Same goes for you too you know."

"I'm not the one who almost died today," Gabby replied as her tears finally escaped her eyes.

"I know, but that doesn't mean I don't need you alive too," he said before noticing her tears. "Hey, come here."

He reached out to Gabby, pulling her towards him until she was laying on the gurney with him. Wrapping one arm around her, he moved to use his free hand to wipe away her tears when April returned.

"Sorry," the nurse seemed realize she had interrupted a moment between the couple.

"It's okay. I just seem to be overly emotional right now," Gabby reassured her with a laugh.

"I'd say that's perfectly understandable all things considered," April replied.

"How's Mouch?" Matt instantly shifted from husband to lieutenant, hoping to finally be able to get an update on the injured firefighter.

"I wasn't able to find out too much, but he's in surgery right now with Dr. Rhodes," April told him. "Now I have the cough suppressant and burn cream, and you should know that someone will be down in about ten minutes to take you for the chest x-ray."

After April administered the cough suppressant, she rubbed the burn cream on his neck and placed some gauze over it as a bandage. She then left the room, and the couple continued to cuddle until it was time for Matt to go for his chest x-ray. Gabby started to go with them, but Matt stopped her.

"Can you go see if the house has any more information on Mouch?" Matt asked in part because he wanted to know as much as he could and in part because he wanted to avoid her getting into another fight with Dr. Cain if they wouldn't allow her to go with him. As long as the doctor was going to work in Med's ED, she was going to have to interact with him after all.

"Matt," Gabby started to protest but Matt wasn't going to let her get it out.

"Please Gabby," he cut her off. "You're not going to be able to do anything up there, and I need to know how he's doing."

Gabby quickly debated whether or not to argue. She still hated the idea of being away from him, but the look on his face indicated he needed this.

"Okay," she sighed as she gave in. "But I want to know as soon as you're back down here."

"I'll get you as soon as he is," April said.

"Alright then. I love you, and I'll see you soon," Gabby leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead. She wished she could kiss him on the lips, but the fact they were still giving him oxygen interfered.

"Love you too," Matt said through the oxygen mask once she stood back up. Gabby then stayed routed in her spot, watching as they rolled her husband towards the elevator. Once he was out of sight, she reluctantly headed towards the waiting room, where she was greeted by the sight of the men and women of 51 sitting stoically in their gear.

"How's Casey?" Boden was the first to spot her.

"Minus a cough and minor burn, he generally seems to be okay. They took him for a chest x-ray," she informed them. "He keeps asking about Mouch."

"He lost consciousness when we were still in the building. I thought he was dead at first," Hermann piped in. "As far as I know, he never regained consciousness. They took him to the cath lab, and then the next thing we heard, he was being rushed into surgery. They did tell us it was definitely a heart attack though."

"That's bad if they took him straight to surgery, isn't it?" Cruz trusted Dawson's medical knowledge and that she'd give him a straight answer. He was also still feeling guilty about how he'd been treating Mouch.

"Maybe," Gabby admitted. "They normally try drugs first, but there could be other reasons why they'd jump straight to surgery."

"Some last shift," Hermann shook his head.

"Last shift?" Cruz questioned, reminding Hermann that no one else knew Mouch's plans.

"He was planning on retiring. Told me right before we went in that today was supposed to be his last shift," Hermann explained.

"Has anyone called Trudy?" Gabby's mind quickly went to Mouch's wife. She had the advantage of working with Matt and having been at the call. But if that wasn't the case, she would have expected to be notified of her husband's condition immediately, and if she wasn't, well there would be hell to pay. She couldn't imagine any wife feeling differently, and it sounded like Mouch was in far worse shape than Matt.

Before anyone could answer her, Trudy burst into the waiting room, followed by Voight.

"Where's Randy?" Trudy came across as far more frantic than Gabby had ever seen her.

"In surgery. We don't know much more though," Boden calmly explained. It wasn't enough to stop her dash through the waiting room though.

"Trudy, you need to calm down," Voight called after her.

"Not now Hank. I need to find someone who can help me," Trudy replied. Shaking his head, Voight continued to follow her, intent on being there for his friend.

Once the two police sergeants were out of sight, Gabby slowly walked down the row of chairs that most of 51 was seated in, towards Severide and Kannell, who were sitting at the end. She tried to figure out what to say to the two men who were the reason she wasn't currently a widow.

"Thank you," as the two words left her mouth, they seemed wholly insufficient, but she found she couldn't find the words to express just how truly grateful she was. A lone tear fell from her right eye. As she moved her hand to wipe it away, Severide stood up and pulled her into a hug.

"Of course," he said as he tried to rub her back in a calming manner, intent on allowing her to cry into his chest if she needed to. She didn't though. Maybe she was finally out of tears or maybe the only person whose chest she wanted to cry into was Matt's. Regardless that one tear was the only one to fall.

After a couple minutes, she removed herself from the squad lieutenant's embrace, and since there weren't any open seats in the row they were in, she took a seat across from them. Kidd got up from her own seat and sat down next to Gabby.

"How you holding up?" the female firefighter asked as she wrapped an arm around her friend.

"I'm fine," Gabby simply replied, prompting Kidd to give her a look that indicated the woman didn't believe her.

"Okay, I'm an emotional wreck or at least emotionally exhausted," Gabby finally admitted after a minute. "This day has just been…I'm not even sure I know how to describe it. It's like it's been the best and the worst day of my life. When I realized Matt that was trapped and didn't seem to have any way out, that he was saying goodbye to me, I've never been so scared, and when I thought that he was about to die if he wasn't already dead, I've never so devastated. My miscarriage, losing Louie, until today those were the two hardest things I'd ever experienced, but at least I still had Matt. If I lost him, what would I have left?"

"You know you're pretty damn strong," Kidd offered as she squeezed Gabby's shoulder.

"I don't know if that would have been enough," Gabby responded. "It doesn't matter though because I didn't lose him, and when he came out of there, I've never been so happy. And I know we have to wait for the chest x-ray, but it seems like he's going to be fine. He should be in so much worse shape. The fact that he isn't is a miracle, and I've never been more grateful for anything."

* * *

Trudy Platt let out a sigh of well relief wasn't quite the right word. She wasn't relieved. She was worried, but at least she'd found someone who could tell her what was going on with Randy.

"Well," she said impatiently as she glared at the nurse sitting behind the admin desk on the surgical floor. This was taking too long.

"I'm just pulling up his record now," the nurse said as Hank put a hand on her shoulder to try to calm her down. "Ah, here it is. Mr. MacHoling –"

"It's McHolland. Randall McHolland," Trudy was irritated as she corrected the nurse. "Are you sure you have the right record?"

"Yes. Sorry, Mr. McHolland," the nurse got a little snippy herself before getting back to what she had been trying to say. "Mr. McHolland suffered a severe myocardial infarction, commonly referred to as a heart attack, with three blocked arteries all in close proximity to the heart. The doctors first attempted to open the blocked arteries non-surgically with PTCA. However, that failed, and given the severity of the heart attack and the amount of time that had passed since the initial incident, Dr. Rhodes felt that coronary artery bypass grafting, a form of open heart surgery, was a better option that making a second attempt. That was about an hour ago. Your husband has been in the OR having the blockages cleared and several stents inserted ever since. This will also give the doctors a chance to examine the tissue damage with their own eyes instead of relying on imaging. Would you like me to go see how the surgery is going?"

The nurse offered Trudy a small smile as she said the last few sentences. The smile was intended to be comforting, but she didn't know who she was dealing with.

"Well, why are you wasting time asking me that?" Trudy barked. "Go find out."

Not sure what to say in response, the nurse just nodded and headed back towards the OR. Once she was out of sight, the two cops stood in silence until finally she returned.

"Surgery is going well," the nurse informed them as she once again sat down behind the desk. "They've got one of the blockages cleared and are working on the second. The stents will be inserted after all three blockages are cleared. Unfortunately, it looks like in addition to the surrounding tissue there was some damage to the heart itself. Nothing too significant, but he'll need to be monitored closely, and his heart's ability to pump will likely be affected. Dr. Rhodes will be able to give you more information after he's finished in the OR. Overall though, he's not out of the woods yet and he'll certainly have a bit of a road back, but it's looking like he was pretty lucky."

"Thank you," Voight made sure to speak before Trudy had a chance to react.

"You're welcome," the nurse replied before getting up in response to a code blue that was called in one of the recovery rooms down the hall. "Excuse me."

"Let's go take a seat over there," Voight said gently as he pointed towards the waiting room.

"What if –" Trudy started to speak before Voight cut her off.

"They'll know where we are," he reassured her.

* * *

"Have you been waiting for me in here the whole time?" Matt asked as he was rolled back into his room in the ED only to find his wife sitting in the same chair she had been in before she'd climbed into his hospital bed.

"No. I was out with everyone in the waiting room. April let me know a couple of minutes ago that they were bringing you back down," Gabby explained as she stood up to allow them to more easily get the bed in place. "Everyone's glad you seem to be okay. There's a whole bunch of firefighters out there who would love to storm in here, but I'm just not ready to share you yet."

"They better not storm in here and disrupt things," Dr. Cain stuck his head in.

"Was there something you wanted with us?" Gabby asked, hoping he was here to give them good news but also annoyed with how much of a prick this doctor seemed to be.

"No. I just happened to be walking by," Dr. Cain told her before removing his head from the doorway.

"What's his problem?" Gabby huffed as she started moving towards the door.

"Hey, just let it go," Matt told her. "It's not like this is going to be the only time you have to deal with him. Don't go all Gabby Dawson on him and make things harder for yourself in the future. He's not worth it."

"He's right you know," the orderly said, prompting Gabby to glare at him. "I mean your husband not Dr. Cain. One day that man will get what's coming to him. Doesn't need to be today though. After everything that's happened, what's more important? Telling some jerk off or being with your husband?"

It wasn't even a tough call. Matt. He was always more important so she turned back around just as the orderly was finishing getting Matt resituated in the room. As the orderly walked out of the room, she leaned down to place a kiss on his cheek. Taking his hand in hers, she took a seat in the chair she had been in a few minutes earlier.

"How's Mouch?" Matt asked as she played with his fingers.

"Doing okay I suppose. He'll be in surgery for a few more hours, and we probably won't have much of a long term prognosis for a while. They think he'll live though. Trudy's up on the surgical floor. Voight's with her. Fifty One's all in the waiting room down here. Just before they brought you back down here, Hermann went up to check on Trudy and get some information because the guys didn't know much beyond what April told us already. Trudy told him," Gabby then proceeded to relay the information that Hermann got from Platt and Voight, which was pretty similar to what the nurse had told them.

"I should go see Trudy," Matt said as he removed his oxygen mask and started to sit up.

"No. Voight's with her," Gabby protested as he started disconnecting himself from the machines. "Put that mask back on. You need to stay here."

"Gabby," Matt started to protest but was interrupted by April and Dr. Cain rushing into the room.

"Is everything okay in here?" April asked.

"Why are you disconnected from all the machines?" Dr. Cain looked at Gabby as if he had decided that she was somehow responsible for this.

"I need to go see Trudy," Matt insisted.

"Who?" Dr. Cain asked. "Not that it –"

"The wife of the firefighter who had the heart attack," April explained.

"Matters," Dr. Cain continued while April spoke. "What you need is to get back into that bed, put the oxygen mask back on, and let us reconnect you to the monitors."

"Matt," Gabby pleaded when he didn't show any intention of getting back into bed. She put her hands on his shoulders to try to keep him from going anywhere even though she knew he could force his way past her if he really wanted.

"Gabby, I'm the one who sent her husband into that building knowing it was a powder keg. If I hadn't, he would have been able to get medical attention sooner or maybe he wouldn't have had a heart attack in the first place. The least I can do is go see his wife," Matt insisted.

"That's unlikely. Heart attack was probably going to happen at some point anyways. If not at the fire, then somewhere else. Sounds like the guys arteries were a time bomb just waiting to explode," Dr. Cain rather rudely told him.

"There's no way you could have known Mouch was going to have a heart attack, and if you did, you never would have sent him into any fire whether it was minor or severe," Gabby tried to reassure him. "I know that. The whole house, including Mouch, knows that, and Trudy knows it. The last thing anyone is going to want you to do is risk your health out of some misplaced sense of responsibility. This was not your fault."

Matt simple shook his head in response frustrating Gabby. She knew he hated hospitals and people fussing over him. She knew he knew he felt responsible for what happened on calls whether it was in his control or not. As far as he was concerned he was the lieutenant and the buck stopped with him. She knew he could be just as stubborn as she was. That had been the source of many of their problems over the years. She wouldn't let this devolve into that. Not after this morning, but she needed to find some way to convince him to see things her way, that taking chances here wasn't okay.

"I really must insist you get back in bed. It's not like you can do anything for the other firefighter," Dr. Cain said. "I can always have you restrained if necessary."

Gabby gave April a look, hoping that the nurse would understand what she wanted. If she could just have a chance to talk to Matt one-on-one without anyone else in the room, to get personal, she'd have a better shot at getting him to see reason. Dr. Cain's attitude was just going to make her husband more defiant. Normally it would have made her more defiant, but she was doing everything she could to not let the doctor get to her so she could stay focused solely on Matt.

"Dr. Cain, why don't we give them some privacy to hash this out," April got the hint.

"What needs to happen is that he needs to get back into bed. I can't exactly make sure he does that from outside," Dr. Cain protested.

"But you can at least still make sure he doesn't leave the room," April pointed out. "And you'll be on hand if something happens, but standing around demanding and threatening isn't doing anyone any good. Maybe letting them really talk will."

"If anything happens, you're off this case Nurse," Dr. Cain said. April rolled her eyes in response, but the two of them did leave the room, giving Gabby the privacy she wanted.

"You said that I was your miracle," Gabby started as she moved her hands from Matt's shoulders to his face, cupping it in her hands. He was sitting facing her now, his legs over the side of the bed. Looking him in the eyes, she continued, not even bothering to try to keep the emotion from breaking through in her voice as she spoke from the heart. "You know what my miracle is? It's this moment. It's the past couple of hours. It's everything that comes next for the rest of our lives. It's all that because what it really is, is the fact that you came out of that factory alive. I love you with everything I have, and when I thought I'd lost you, I wanted to die too. I-I don't think I could live without you. I wouldn't know how."

"Gabby," Matt wrapped his arms around her. He could tell that the emotion was getting to be too much for her.

"No. Let me finish," Gabby said as she tried to regain her composure enough to continue. "I know you hate being here, that you want to do what you would be doing if you hadn't gotten hurt. Before you argue that you're not hurt, smoke inhalation is still getting hurt. You took your mask off because of me. Because you wanted to say goodbye to me. That means you're here in part because of me, and that's something I have to deal with. It's just…You need the oxygen. We know you feel fine for the most part, but until someone tells us that you are fine, we won't actually know that. So until you're discharged, and checking out against medical advice doesn't count, listen to the doctors. Do what they say because if you try to go upstairs and you're not actually fine, you could make things so much worse for yourself. I'm asking you not to do that, and maybe it's selfish, but I'm asking, and I know if the situation were reversed, you'd be asking me too."

Matt's heart broke for his wife as he listened to her words. He hated that she had gone through what she had today, that he had made her feel this way, especially since he knew what the terror she had experienced at the call felt like. He'd felt it in this very hospital in fact on the night a year and a half ago when they'd lost their baby. As he had raced towards the hospital that night, he'd been worried about how much pain she was in and that something was wrong with the baby, but the possibility that he had be worried about Gabby's life wasn't one he had even allowed himself to consider. As far as he had been concerned, something happening to her was too unfathomable. Even as he'd told Will to save Gabby if it came down to a choice, he hadn't seriously considered the fact that she could die. He had just wanted to make sure the doctor had his priorities straight. It was when Will had responded by telling him that Gabby was the only one he was trying to save that he had been forced to acknowledge that losing her was a real possibility. The terror he'd felt in that moment and the hours that followed was something he never wanted her to experience. She had though, and he would do anything to keep her from feeling that way again. As much as he wanted to see Mouch's wife, his own wife came first so he acquiesced. Sighing he lay back down in the hospital bed, noticing a small smile form on Gabby's face as he did so.

"Thank you," she said quietly as he begrudgingly reached for the oxygen mask intent on putting it back over his mouth. She then turned her attention to the door. Her voice louder, she called. "You can come back in. He's ready to be hooked back up to the monitors."

"Well, I see you finally managed to do something helpful," Dr. Cain said as he reentered the room.

For Matt that was the last straw. Staying in this bed instead of going to see Trudy Platt so as not to worry Gabby was one thing, but he'd be damned if he was just going to sit idly by while this man treated his wife as if she was scum he'd found on the bottom of his show. The man clearly thought Gabby was useless and incapable of helping the situation because she was "simply" a paramedic and hadn't gone to medical school. Even if you ignored the fact that Gabby both knew him better than anyone else and was the most important person in his life, the doctor couldn't be more wrong. She was a great, knowledgeable paramedic, who was more than capable of holding her own against a doctor, and he was going to make sure Dr. Cain knew it.

He started to sit up again, taking his oxygen mask off again, he barked at the doctor, "I told you not to talk to her that way."

"Mr. Casey I really must insist –" Dr. Cain started to say before being cut off by Matt.

"No, you're going to apologize to her and start treating her with the respect she deserves or I'm walking out of here," he insisted.

"Matt," Gabby said sternly as she once again put her hands on his shoulder in an attempt to get her point across.

"Gabby, he has no right to talk to you that way. I'm not going to let him get away with it. I'm always going to defend you," Matt responded.

"I know, but think about what I just said and what you told me earlier," Gabby argued. "If I can put up with his attitude towards me and in general for you, then you can do the same for me."

"I still think you at least deserve an apology," Matt pointed out.

"Not gonna argue," April interjected. "But I don't think it's going to happen. You may not have noticed it, but he just left the room. Do you mind if I hook you back up to the monitors now?"

Sighing Matt leaned back into the bed and nodded, prompting April to approach.

"Can you at least keep him away from us unless absolutely necessary?" he asked as April worked.

"Can't promise anything, but I can try," April agreed.

"Thank you," Matt said as she finished and headed out of the room. Once she was out of sight, he took Gabby's hand in his again as he turned his attention to his wife. "Gabby, I'm really sorry about putting you through all that today. I never would have intentionally."

"I know you wouldn't," Gabby reassured him.

"And it's not your fault that I'm in here so don't blame yourself," he continued. "It's just when I was trapped in there, and there didn't seem to be a way out, I was so sure I was about to die. The only thing that mattered was being able to talk to you. I was so grateful you hadn't left the scene to take someone to the hospital because I needed to tell you that I love you one last time, to let you know just how much. I know that in the moment you didn't want to hear me saying goodbye, but –"

"No, all I wanted was for you to find some way out of there and back to me," Gabby interrupted before leaning down and placing a kiss on his forehead.

"I know you did," Matt squeezed her hand once she sat back up. "But I believed that eventually you'd be glad I had, that what said and how much I love you would give you some amount of comfort, that how much I love you would mean a lot to you."

"I already knew how much you love me, and it already did mean a lot, but you're right. If that had been it, I wouldn't have been upset that you had said goodbye. I would have been glad you had. What I would have been upset about was that I hadn't said it back. I hope you know how much I always have and always will love you and that you didn't need me to say it, but I still would have wished I had. And I would have been a lot more than upset that you were gone, but I would have been glad I got to hear your voice one last time," Gabby replied. "Getting to hear your voice for the rest of my life is a much better option though."

"For me too," Matt told her. "You know what they say about your life flashing before your eyes before you die. Well, mine did. Only it wasn't my whole life. I didn't see memories from my childhood or the time I spent hanging out with Andy and Severide or working at 51 or anything like that. All I could see was you and us, and it made perfect sense because you're my life. If I was going to die, there was nothing I would have rather seen or thought about."

Gabby sat there in silence taking his words in, her heart warming more and more with each passing moment. How could she say something that was even close to an appropriate response? Few things had ever been said to her that meant more, and come to think of it, they had all been said by Matt. In some ways it still amazed her that he could go from the tough guy lieutenant/construction worker to the sweet, romantic husband he often managed to be when it was just the two of them. It was just another reason to be grateful he was still alive.

"I'm sorry about how I've been acting," Matt's voice pulled her from her thoughts. Only she wasn't following what he was saying and wound up giving him a confused look. "Over the past few days I mean. With your father and the first responders bill and not coming home last night. I've been so focused on getting that bill passed. I became an alderman to do good, and this bill could do a lot of good. I really believe in it, and struggling to try to pass it, being accused of self-dealing has been hard."

"They just don't know you. No one who does would think that," Gabby cut in.

"Thanks, but that wasn't really point," Matt said. "With everything that was going on and the stress of it, Ramon just became something else I had to deal with. I stopped seeing him as family, but he's your father so he is family. And more than that he's important to you. I'm sorry for forgetting that."

"I know he hasn't been easy to live with and that you think he's taking advantage. He's stubborn," Gabby replied, although the last two words made Matt chuckle. "And he's being lazy and demanding and acting more like the child instead of the parent so maybe you're right. The thing is that's not the father I always knew. He hasn't been since he left my mother. He's lost, but he's always been there for me when I needed him, no matter how much trouble I caused. How can I not be there for him now? It wasn't that I didn't care about what you were feeling. It's just I can't abandon him."

"I was never trying to ask you to," Matt told her.

"There has to be some middle ground between kicking him out and letting him just take over our home and our lives," Gabby said and Matt nodded in agreement. "So why don't we try to find it?"

Before Matt could respond April walked into the room.

"So I have good news and better news," the nurse started. "The good news is I somehow convinced Dr. Cain that given the way you've been clashing it would be better if I gave you the results of the chest x-ray, and the better news is that it came back clear."

"Thank God," Gabby couldn't help it as the words were out of her mouth as soon as April said the word the clear.

"Matt, they're going to want to monitor you and keep you on the oxygen for a few more hours before discharging you. I'm supposed to warn you that sometimes it can take a while for some of the effects of smoke inhalation to develop, but given that your wife is a trained medical professional, I think you're in good hands."

"Trust me I have no intention of letting him out of my sight anytime soon," Gabby replied.

"Alright. Let me just give Matt another dose of the cough suppressant, and then I'll leave you two alone," April smiled.

"Can you update the guys?" Gabby asked while April worked.

"Of course," April said before leaving the room.

"So you're gonna play nurse," Matt said once they were alone as he started to take the oxygen mask.

"Matt," Gabby sternly warned as soon as she saw what he was doing.

"She just said I was going to be fine," Matt defended his action.

"That's not what she said," Gabby countered. "You look okay. A lot better than expected considering that you took your mask off, and yes I'm adding that in, but things could change. You need to be careful, the oxygen's part of that, and it's my job to keep an eye on you to make sure you are being careful and that you continue to be okay."

"At least let me kiss you," Matt insisted.

"Well, I'll never say no to that, but quickly. Remember you made it out so we do have the rest of our lives for that," Gabby leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. To Matt's disappointment the kiss was chaste. As much as Gabby didn't want to, she managed to find the willpower to resist Matt's attempts to deepen the kiss. After a minute or Gabby reluctantly pull away.

"Memories don't do that justice," Matt commented as he stroked her cheek. Wanting to run his hand through her hair, he contemplated reaching back and removing the elastic that held her pony tail in place. Before he could though, she leaned forward.

"Now if you're good and put the oxygen mask back on, not only will there be a lot more of that when we get home, but I'll be whatever ow whoever you want me to be," she whispered huskily in his ear.

"You," he said as he put the mask back on his mouth. When she looked at him confused, he clarified. "I want you to be you."

They sat in silence before Matt spoke again.

"We should continue our conversation from earlier," he said. When Gabby nodded, he continued. "We'll figure out something with your dad. I promise, and I promise I'll always come home at night. No more getting angry and sleeping on Severide's couch. You should know though that when I left shift earlier, I went to the town hall and announced that I was going to resign from the city council."

"Wait, what?" that was the last thing she was expecting him to say. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd heard right.

"I told everyone at the town hall that I was going to resign and recommended that Tamara take my place on the council," he reiterated.

"You sure about this?" Gabby couldn't help but ask. "I know you were reluctant to run at first, but I thought you had come to enjoy it and were proud of the good you were able to do."

"I did, but Tamara can do a lot of good too. Probably more than I could. She's a natural at it, far more than I ever was. I wouldn't have been able to do really any of it without her guidance, and she doesn't have the baggage. The first responder's bill probably has a real chance now. I ran to help people and because I didn't think government should be all politics. That's still what I want, and I think I can do more good by stepping down than staying at this point," Matt explained. "More importantly though I realized something when you stormed out of my office this morning. When I decided to do this, I was very clear that my priorities were going to be you then the CFD then my duties as an alderman. That wasn't how things were actually playing out though."

"The first responder's bill is in part about the CFD," Gabby interrupted.

"Remember what I said, my first priority was supposed to be you," Matt replied. "And I wasn't putting you first. For the second time in a year, I put politics first, I acted like it was more important than you. The first time I almost lost you, and if I hadn't come to my senses, I never would have gotten to be a father to Louie. As awful as it was after he left, I wouldn't trade those months we had with him for anything. And I know we're married now and we're strong, and I'd like to think we've learned from all our mistakes, but no matter how small the odds are, I'm not willing to risk us. I meant what I said earlier. You're my life. The last things I want are to lose you or hurt you or fight with you or be the reason you're unhappy."

"You resigned for me," Gabby commented as her eyes began to water.

"Yeah, I'd do anything for you, and after today, I'm glad I did. If I hadn't made it out of there, the fact that this would have been our last few days –," Matt started to say.

"I don't even want to think about that," Gabby quickly cut him off.

"Hey, come here," Matt quickly pulled her back towards the bed. Once she was laying down next to him, her head resting against his left shoulder, and his left arm firmly around her, he spoke again. "Gabby I know how much you wanted me to run and how much you believed in me, are you okay with me stepping down?"

"I still believe in you. I always will, but I understand why you don't think you can or should keep the job. And it means a lot that you would give up something like that for me so yeah I'm okay with it," she said, and the words were true. As proud as she was of the work he had done, as proud as she knew she would be if he continued to do the work, as much as she believed that the world would be better served with more people like her husband in charge, the truth was she underestimated the impact all of this would have on their life. In some ways, Alderman Matthew Casey had been a better idea in theory than in reality. Now they could just be themselves.

* * *

Matt had been discharged a little less than an hour ago. Dr. Cain had tried to insist he go home and rest, but neither Matt nor Gabby were having any of that. Despite the doctor's protests, he really didn't have any reason to complain. It's not like they were going to do anything that would require Matt to exert himself, and they weren't going far so it wasn't like Matt wouldn't be able to get medical attention if needed. Dr. Cain didn't seem to care though. Gabby figured that listening to reason didn't align with the man's holier than thou, I have an MD after my name and you don't so I obviously am the one who knows what's best for you worldview. Still he had no medical reason to keep Matt hospitalized, so he'd begrudgingly discharged him. Then, after a quick trip to the hospital pharmacy to fill Matt's prescriptions for an inhaler and burn cream, Matt and Gabby had joined the rest of 51.

Now they sat, practically cuddling, in the ED's waiting room. Gabby was half in her seat, half in Matt's with her head essentially buried in the crook of his neck, on the good side as opposed to the side with the burn and bandage of course. They each had an arm around the other's shoulder while their other hands were clasped together. The one benefit of what had happened to Matt was that while the rest of 51 had spent hours in the waiting room in their turnout gear, he just had his uniform on, having had to take his gear off while being treated. As relieved as Gabby had been when she'd seen Matt alive and emerging from the building as well as when they'd been in the ambulance and his hospital room, it was here in the waiting room, where, despite everything that was going on, she felt more content than she had in days. She figured that it was because now that her husband wasn't in a hospital bed, hooked up to a bunch of machines, she wasn't being confronted with just how close she'd come losing him, but the knowledge of that fact coupled with the fact that they'd finally stopped running and had a real conversation made their fighting an insignificant piece of the past.

She was pulled from her thoughts though at the sound of a throat clearing, a gravely one at that, and looked up to see Hank Voight standing before them, trying to get all of 51's attention. The image brought her back to reality and the somber reason they were all sitting in this waiting room. He had come with Trudy Platt.

"Trudy wanted me to let you know that Mouch is out of surgery and doing well all things considered," Voight began. "He's in the cardiac care unit and is going to have to follow a strict diet and take better care of himself, but chances are he'll get through this."

"That's good to hear," Boden said.

"Is he going to be able to return to work?" Cruz asked, not wanting to believe that Mouch was seriously considering retirement. After all his harsh words and anger over the past few weeks, he felt like he'd driven the older firefighter to a decision the man would come to regret.

"Long-term I don't know. Trudy didn't ask, but from what Dr. Rhodes said, it sounds like he won't be running into burning buildings anytime soon," Voight replied.

"He's going to have to show not just that there's no real damage from the heart attack, but that his health and conditioning have improved substantially," Matt pointed out. "They won't risk something like this happening again."

"Didn't Hermann say there was damage to his heart though?" Otis pointed out.

"Yeah. They didn't know how bad it was though," Hermann pointed out before turning his attention to Voight. "Did they say anything more when he came out of surgery?"

"No, and Trudy was still in too much shock to really ask for any more information," Voight replied.

"Alright everyone," Boden said as he stood up from his seat. "I think we've done all we can here. Time to head back to the house."

His words prompted the men and women of 51 to start rustling about as they got ready to leave.

"Tell Trudy to keep us updated, and give our best to Mouch," Hermann said as he got up.

"I will," Voight simply replied.

Boden hadn't been done speaking though. Turning his attention to Matt and Gabby he spoke again.

"Casey, you're going to need to be medically cleared –" he started to say.

"I'm fine Chief," Matt protested.

"Maybe so, but you were hospitalized for smoke inhalation. You know as well as I do that I can't let you go into a fire until a doctor okay's it. After everything that happened today, you and Dawson are off for the rest of shift. Once we get back to the house, the two of you are to grab your stuff and go home."

"But if Dawson leaves, I don't have a partner. What am I supposed to do? Handle everything myself?" Brett whined.

"Ambulance 61 will be taken out of service until a floater can get to 51," Boden explained.

"Do you really want to leave shift? Wouldn't you rather stay than be sidelined?" Brett turned her attention towards Gabby in an attempt to get her to argue against being sent home.

Gabby simply stared at her partner unsure what to say. Her husband had come way too close to dying today, and here Brett was making what happened next all about her. Did the woman honestly believe that Gabby would rather be at work so that Brett didn't have to deal with a floater than home with Matt? It wasn't about being sidelined. It was about her husband. And not only did she want to keep an eye on him to make sure he was really okay, but part of her was still terrified that this was all a dream and she'd wake up back at the factory, staring at the flames, knowing that it wasn't just a building that was being destroyed but her entire world. She needed to be with Matt; it was the only way to reassure her. Brett was her friend. She was, but sometimes Gabby couldn't help but think that the woman really needed to grow up.

"Dawson, since you're technically not going back as a paramedic, why don't you ride back with us in the truck," Kidd said, giving Gabby the opening she needed to get out of responding to Brett.

"Sounds good," Gabby replied as she wrapped her arm more tightly around Matt's, hoping that action and her response to Kidd would give Brett the message. As they started to head out, Gabby couldn't help but wonder if she could sit up front with Matt instead of returning to her old spot in the cab's back row. The only real option would be to sit on his lap given that there wasn't a third seat up there. That didn't sound so bad though. Besides, they were officially off shift.

"This way you keep reassuring yourself that this is real and Casey's still here," Kidd came up to Gabby and whispered in her ear. Gabby smiled appreciatively at Kidd in response, thankful for how well the firefighter seemed to know her.

"Hey Hermann, since I'm off shift and you're acting lieutenant, why don't you sit up front," Matt suggested.

"You sure you don't mind sitting in back?" Hermann asked as they made their way outside and towards the rigs.

"I'm sure Hermann," Matt said, his eyes focused on Gabby as he smiled at her.

"Alright then," Hermann said as he went around 81 to what was normally Casey's door.

Slowly everyone made their way into their respective rigs, Brett still frowning as she took the driver's seat in Ambulance 61. Meanwhile in Truck 81, Matt wrapped his arm around Gabby, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder, knowing that this was exactly what his wife needed. She would for a while, and so would he.

* * *

Trudy stood outside the doorway to husband's hospital room and tried to prepare herself to go in. She had been told what to expect. Randy would be on a ventilator. Not because he needed it to breathe but because it was standard procedure for someone who just had open heart surgery. He'd still be unconscious. It would probably be several hours before he woke up. That wasn't any reason to worry though. At least that's what she'd been told. He'd be hooked up to a heart monitor. She couldn't help but wonder how obnoxious the beeping would be. None of that made the idea of going in there and seeing her husband like this any easier. Despite the reputation she's carefully cultivated for herself in the CPD and what she knew her patrolmen thought of her, she was still a human being and more importantly a wife. She didn't want to have to see her husband like this. Still, as much as she wished he'd never had the heart attack, given that he had, seeing him like this was certainly better than the alternative.

Taking a deep breath, she allowed her feet to move forward, carrying her into the room. As she took a seat next to the bed, she took him in. As expected his eyes were closed. What she hadn't been expecting was the peaceful look on his face. If she tried really hard to ignore their current location and the intubation tube and the bit of hospital gown that was visible between the blanket and his neck, she might be able to convince herself that he was sleeping. That was a pointless exercise though. This was happening. She was better off just remaining in the present. So she simply stared at, taking in his appearance and the machines. After a few minutes, she finally spoke.

"You had a crazy last shift, didn't you? If I'd known you were going to go out with such a bang, I'd never had let you," she said as she took his hand, holding it tight. She briefly wondered what her life would have been like had they met years earlier, when they'd been young. She pushed those thoughts out of her head as quickly as they'd came though. That too was a futile exercise. "They're saying you're going to have a long road ahead of you. I'll get you through it though. Sgt. Trudy Platt reporting for duty. We'll get through it together Randy, that's a promise."

As she said the words, she knew they were true. She'd hold him up and help him through everything. They'd live their life together. They'd be happy.

* * *

After getting into Matt's truck, Matt and Gabby quickly decided that didn't want to go home quite yet. A romantic dinner seemed like a far better idea than going home and dealing with Ramon. That was why they now found themselves being eyed strangely by the maître d' at one of their favorite romantic restaurants as he took in their appearances. Yes, they were underdressed compared to everyone else. Most of the woman were in cocktail dresses or at least leggings or skirts with a nice top while most of the men were wearing slacks and button-down shirts. They were both wearing jeans and t-shirts. That was all they had in their lockers, but it's not like they were still in their uniforms.

"Table for two," Gabby requested a little nervously. The way the man was glaring at them, she was a little worried he'd refuse to seat them. She was prepared to argue though. After the day they'd had, they deserved a nice night, and just because they weren't actually dressed for a fancy restaurant didn't make their money less green than anyone else's.

"If you'll follow me to the bar," the maître d' replied.

"We'd prefer the dining room," Gabby told him.

"It's a half hour wait," The maître d' informed her.

"We'll wait," she insisted. She couldn't help but wonder if he was being truthful or trying to dissuade them. The entryway was a little crowded, but at the same time it was a Wednesday night. She expected them to be far less crowded than if it were Friday, Saturday, or even Sunday night.

"The dining room is a more formal environment. You might be more comfortable in the bar," the maître d' argued.

"We'd prefer the dining room," Matt interjected before Gabby could get too heated. "We're looking for a quiet dinner."

"Very well then," the maître d' sighed, clearly not happy with this. "If you'll give me a name and take a seat, I'll call you when a table is ready."

"Casey," Matt said proudly. He couldn't help it. The knowledge that Gabby hadn't said anything when Dr. Cain called her Mrs. Casey earlier still gave him a deep feeling of pride and happiness. He didn't need her to have his name but that didn't mean he didn't like hearing her addressed as if she had it. The maître d' wrote it down and then nodded at them.

Understanding the nod, the couple retreated towards the bench by the door, where they cuddled for close to twenty minutes before being seated. Fortunately, neither of them needed to look at the menu because once they were sitting across from each other, neither Matt nor Gabby could take their eyes off the other. Instead they sat with smiles on their faces as they stared into each other's eyes. Each had an arm outstretched across the table so that they could continue to hold hands. Maybe one would have expected them to need to talk to each other, but for the two of them what they really needed was to be together and show the deep love that existed between them.

"Good evening. My name is Alicia, and I'll be your server tonight," a woman broke the silence as she placed a basket of rolls on the table between Matt and Gabby. "Can I start you off with something to drink?"

"We'll take a bottle of champagne," Gabby was in a celebratory mood.

"And I think we're ready to order," Matt said as he motioned to Gabby to go first.

"I'll have the Spicy Rock Shrimp," Gabby told the waitress.

"And I'll have the prime rib," Matt said.

"Can I interest you in any sides?" Alicia asked, prompting Gabby to look at Matt, who nodded in response. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised despite the fact that he just ordered a sixteen ounce steak.

"Mashed Potatoes," Matt ordered and knowing exactly what Gabby would choose he continued. "And she'll have the asparagus."

"Alright. I'll put that in and be back with the champagne," Alicia told them before walking away.

"Leave it to you to get the most expensive thing on the menu," Gabby teased once they were alone again.

"Says the woman who got a bottle of champagne," Matt teased back, knowing that at a place like this Gabby normally would have gone for a couple of glasses of red wine. "Not a glass or two, but a whole bottle."

"We're here celebrating our future. Champagne is appropriate," Gabby defended herself. "You though. Do you really think you're going to eat even half of that?"

"It's the only steak they have, and I haven't eaten since breakfast. Besides, considering the fact that Cruz's egg hash whatever it was supposed to be almost wound up being my last meal, I think I deserve a nice, big, really good steak," Matt instantly regretted his words as he noticed the shift in his wife's demeanor.

"Matt, don't go there. Please. Not tonight," Gabby didn't even try to keep the emotion out of her voice.

"Hey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," he squeezed her hand.

"I know. I just want to enjoy this evening," she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Only positive thoughts. I promise," he smiled back.

* * *

"Maybe he's asleep," Gabby said hopefully as they approached the door to their apartment.

"It's not that late," Matt quickly looked at his watch. "He's been up watching TV in his underwear and eating cereal well past midnight almost every night since he's been here. We've both been kept up by the damn TV."

"He didn't used to be such a night owl. When I was in high school, he was almost always in bed by nine thirty. I swear the only reason my curfew was nine was because my parents knew I'd be late, and he couldn't stay up too much longer," Gabby responded, hoping to keep Matt from getting frustrated with her and the fact that her father was still there. The truth was the idea that Ramon would still be up frustrated her too. If Ramon thought his married daughter was still a virgin, he was being willfully naïve, but that didn't mean she was comfortable with him being in earshot of all the things she intended to do with and to Matt tonight. Her husband might lose his voice not from all the coughing he had done earlier but from how much he'd be screaming her name while she reminded him just what he had lived for.

Instead of replying, Matt simply opened the door, motioning for Gabby to go in first. She took their leftovers from him and then headed towards the refrigerator to put the food away. Once inside, Matt simply watched her, taking her in. She had started going through her purse, looking to take out his prescriptions, when a voice made them both jump.

"Get out of here before I call the cops," Ramon rushed into the kitchen.

"Daddy, last time I checked this was our place," Gabby pointed out as she looked up at her father, who as predicted was in his underwear but was also holding the screwdriver Matt had left out yesterday afternoon as if it were a weapon.

"Gabriela. Matt," Ramon said as he put the screwdriver down on the table. "I heard noises in here and thought there was an intruder."

"No just us," Matt said as he went up to Gabby and wrapped his arm around her in case this conversation led to a rehash of what had happened this morning. "A screwdriver, really?"

"It was the easiest thing I could grab," Ramon defended himself. "What are you two doing here anyways? Shouldn't you be at work until morning?"

"We had a tough call earlier. Got sent home," Matt said simply, hoping that would be the end of it but suspecting it wouldn't.

"Did someone die or something? I didn't see anything about a firefighter dying on the news," Ramon replied.

"Since when do you watch the news? You've spent most of your time watching old movies on Netflix since you got here," Gabby desperately wanted to change the subject.

"I always watch the news when you're on shift. Ever since your brother graduated from the police academy, I've always the news when I knew at least one of you was working. In case I could get a glimpse or something happened," Ramon informed her.

"I never knew that," Gabby commented.

"You didn't answer my question Gabriela. What happened that got you got sent home? Did someone die?" Ramon wasn't going to let her just change the subject.

"No one died. We had to take Matt to the hospital though. Chief Boden was nice enough to let me go home with him afterwards," Gabby replied as she tried to keep the emotion out of her voice. It wasn't the whole truth but hopefully it would be enough.

"That related to what happened to your neck?" Ramon pointed towards the bandage that covered Matt's burn.

"Yeah. Had a run in with the flames" Matt said as he squeezed Gabby's shoulder and leaned down to place a kiss on top of her head. He could feel her get more and more tense the longer this conversation went on.

"That all? Hardly seems like a burn is worth sending a firefighter home," Ramon kept poking. "Never mind how upset Gabriela seems to be."

Sighing Matt realized they weren't going to get away with not revealing exactly what had happened.

"I got trapped," Matt began as he massaged Gabby's shoulder in an attempt to calm and reassure her. "Well, a bunch of us did, but I was more trapped than everyone else. While for everyone else there just didn't seem to be a way out of the building. For me, there didn't seem to be a way out of the room I was in. A couple of the other firefighters managed to get me out of the room, and we all made it out of the building. There were a few minutes where I didn't think I was going to make it out of there. Took my mask off to say goodbye to Gabby. That's why I wound up in the hospital."

Hearing the story of the day relayed to her father, the weight of it all hit Gabby again as she was reminded of just how close she had come today to being a widow. Once again, her eyes began to water.

"Hey, I'm okay," Matt shifted so that he could wrap both arms around her in a tight embrace as soon as he noticed the first tear fall.

She buried her head in his chest as her body was racked with uncontrollable sobs. She was pretty sure this was the most she'd cried since before she knew for certain that Matt was still alive. She didn't understand why, but despite the fact that she was here, in her husband's arms, her body still seemed to need to let things out this way.

"I…I know," she managed to mumble into his chest between sobs. "It's…It's just…"

"I'll keep telling you that as long as you need me to," Matt promised. He started to rub her back and then leaned down to gently kissed her forehead before briefly turning his attention to his father-in-law. "Gabby's really shaken by everything that happened."

"Of course she is. Anyone would be," Ramon said as he approached them and placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder.

The three of them stayed like that for a few minutes until Gabby calmed down.

"I'll leave you two alone. Just give me a few minutes to get my things, and then I'll see you in the morning," Ramon said before turning and walking back towards the guest room.

Matt watched him walk away and wondered if it was appropriate to say thank you. He and Gabby could certainly use the privacy tonight, but Ramon deciding to leave was the last thing he was expecting. After the past few weeks, he wouldn't have thought his father-in-law had the sense. Unfortunately, the cough suppressant picked that moment to wear off, and instead of responding, he found himself in the midst of a coughing fit.

"You okay?" Gabby asked as she turned back towards her purse intent on getting his medication out.

Unable to speak, Matt nodded between coughs. He doubted Gabby could see it though; her back was to him as she removed the inhaler from its packaging.

"Here," she said as she turned around and handed it to him. "April said that once you started coughing again, you're supposed to take two puffs every four hours."

Matt took the inhaler from her. As he put it in his mouth, Gabby headed towards the cabinets to take out a glass and fill it with water.

"Here," she said as she handed it to him after he'd finished taking the inhaler. "It'll take a few minutes for that to kick in. Maybe this'll help in the meanwhile."

"Thanks," he managed to get out.

After Matt downed the water, the couple stood in what would have been silence if it wasn't for the incessant coughing. Even though she knew that this was to be expected, Gabby couldn't help but worry about it meant.

"I'm okay promise," Matt said between coughs once he noticed the look of concern on her face. She only nodded in response. When the coughing stopped about ten minutes later, Matt waited another minute before speaking again. "I think it's over."

"Good," Gabby replied with a sly smile. "Because I've been waiting to do this since we started heading towards the ambo this morning."

Wrapping her arms around him, Gabby pulled Matt's head down towards hers as she got up on her toes, only stopping when their lips touched and a fiery, passionate kiss began. Matt quickly picked her up and placed her on the counter, neither of them noticing or caring when her bum brushed against her bag, knocking it to the floor. Once seated, Gabby quickly wrapped her legs around Matt's waist, pulling him closer. Her tongue had barely moved towards his lips, before his mouth was open, giving her the access she wanted. As her tongue slowly made its way into his mouth, searching for its partner, her hands slowly repositioned themselves intent on playing with his hair. Everything was going perfectly until she felt him wince as her arm inadvertently made contact with the bandage covering the burn on his neck.

"Sorry. You okay?" Gabby asked as she reluctantly pulled away.

"I'm fine, and you have nothing to apologize for," Matt told her.

"You sure? I don't want to hurt you," Gabby replied.

"I'm sure. If something's wrong, I'll tell you," Matt said. Upon seeing the skeptical look that immediately crossed Gabby's face, he continued. "I promise. For your piece of mind, I promise I'll tell you."

As much as he hated to make that promise, he meant it. He didn't mind a little pain or discomfort. Gabby was worth it, but he knew that if she was worried that she was hurting him, she'd be hesitant. More importantly, she wouldn't be able to truly enjoy tonight. That mattered far more.

Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, Matt leaned towards Gabby again, this time being the one to pull her into the kiss. They made out like hungry teenagers until they were both desperate for air.

"I hope you're ready because I'm going to show you just what you lived for and how grateful I am that you did," Gabby quickly transitioned into seductress as soon as she caught her breath.

Not waiting for Matt to respond, she kissed him again. Matt swiftly picked her up off the counter and carried her towards their bedroom, not breaking the kiss as he did so, grateful that they'd lived here long enough that he was able to get there without having to look where he was going. With Ramon in the apartment, they'd shut their bedroom door before leaving for shift, but somehow Matt managed to open it without having to look or put Gabby down. Once inside, Matt carefully lay Gabby on the bed, intending to climb on top of her. Gabby had other ideas though and quickly pulled him down next to her before climbing on top on him.

"This is my show," she whispered in his ear before running her tongue along his right earlobe, sending a shiver down Matt's spine. She continued to run her tongue along the right side of his jaw, not wanting to risk doing too much around the burn, but once she reached his chin she switched over to kisses. She kissed her way up the left side of his jaw and then slowly down to one of the most sensitive spots on his neck. When she found it, she slipped her hands under his shirt, running them along his chest, savoring the feel of his warm skin. Slowly, she started grinding her hips into his, a tingle running through her the moment she felt his erection.

"Gabby," Matt moaned the moment she switched from kissing to sucking. This was definitely going to leave a mark.

"You like?" she whispered as she pulled away and carefully sat them up.

"You know I do," Matt said as he leaned forward wanting to return the favor but Gabby shook her head. She returned her hands to his shirt. Only this time, instead of letting them roam beneath his shirt, she pulled it up over his head, tossing it to a random corner before repeating the action with her own shirt.

With their tops removed, the couple sat there staring at each other, too focused on the other's chests to notice the love and lust in the other's eyes. Gabby couldn't help but think that she'd never get tired of the muscular view as she took it in. Matt meanwhile felt himself harden even more as he caught the first glimpse of Gabby's bra. It was nothing fancy, just a cream-colored cotton bra. She's probably thrown it on that morning figuring that since they were going to be on shift, it didn't matter what she wore, but he also suspected that it was at least in part because she knew that he was hers and she didn't need to impress him with sexy lingerie. She never had. Not that he would ever turn down the change to see her in it. Then there was the color itself. She looked great in dark colors, but there was something about the contrast between the light cream color and the dark caramel of her skin that he found completely erotic.

Matt was pulled out of his thoughts as Gabby gently pushed him back so that he was once again lying on the bed and returned her attention to the spot on his neck, smirking at she caught sight of what he could only assume was the hickey that had started to form there.

"Looks like I left my mark," she said proudly, proving him right, before leaning back down, her mouth returning to the same spot. She kissed it gently before working her way about an inch or so down and to the left, to one of her other favorite spots near his collarbone, stopping there to give it some very enjoyable attention that immediately caused Matt to let out a moan.

Instinctively, as she alternated between kissing and sucking, Matt wrapped his arms around her, pulling her further towards him until she was lying as flat on top of him as possible. Feeling her nipples through her bra as it made contact with his chest, a feeling of pride washed through him. He'd barely touched her and yet her body was already reacting so strongly to his. Suddenly, her teeth brushed against the spot she had been so focused on, and he let out a loud growl in response before removing the elastic from her hair, tossing it towards the nightstand and then running one of his hands through her hair, wanting to at least give her something.

Slowly Gabby moved her mouth from the spot near his collarbone and worked her way down his chest. As she slid her body down his, Matt moved his hands down her back until they found the back strap of her bra. Masterfully, unclasping it, he let his hands roam where the strap had been. Automatically, Gabby slightly lifted her back, allowing Matt to remove the offending object and toss it to the side. She lay back down on him as she licked the top of his abs, but now there was nothing between their upper bodies.

As Gabby continued to work her way down his chest, she repositioned herself slightly so that their crotches were no longer touching. Replacing her own womanhood with her hands, she gently ran one over the visible bulk in his jeans, before undoing the button and zipper and sliding her hand into his boxers. For a minute or so she ran a finger up and down his length while using the rest of her hand to play with his balls. Then she wrapped her hand around his manhood slowly massaging in.

"Oh…Gabby…Oh," Matt moaned, convinced that he was seconds away from cumming in her hand.

That must not have been what Gabby wanted though because suddenly she removed her hand and stopped kissing his chest. Instead she licked her way down his abs and above the waistline of his pants before slightly arching his hips and removing everything but his boxers. Gabby hovered over him for a minute, taking the time to admire the large tent in his boxers, but eventually she moved to straddle him.

Through his boxers, Matt could feel just how aroused she was. The wetness had soaked not just through her panties but through her jeans as well. He knew exactly how to turn Gabby on slowly and how to turn her on quickly, but he didn't think he'd ever seen something quite like this. She must have started getting wet when she first kissed him in the kitchen. Maybe he shouldn't be surprised. After today, he had certainly been desperate for her, and in a lot of ways, she had more reason to feel that way than he did.

Gabby shifted slightly, an action that reminded him to focus on the moment. She'd given him so much pleasure already tonight. It was time he did something for her. Looking her over, he quickly decided to start by focusing his attention on the exposed part of her body. Reaching up he cupped her perfect breasts in his hands and gently started massaging her nipples. He was completely caught off guard by her reaction though. While she threw her head back and relaxed into him for a few seconds, she ultimately shook her head.

"Baby, I told you this was my show. You just got out of the hospital. You need to rest. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy," her voice was husky as she spoke.

"Gabby," Matt started to protest before she cut him off. He enjoyed touching her. He wanted her to enjoy this too. What's more he wouldn't be able to truly enjoy this unless he knew she was too.

"Trust me I'm having a great time doing all of this," it was like Gabby had read his mind. "Touching you, feeling you, tasting you. That's really all I need tonight."

Cupping her hand on the side of his face, she leaned back down, guiding her tongue into his mouth before her lips made contact with his and the couple started making out again.

* * *

Exhausted Gabby lay in bed with Matt's arms securely around her and their legs intertwined as she rested her head against his shoulder, careful to not let it bump against the bandage that covered his burn. They were both still naked. Neither of them seeing a reason to get dressed, let alone having the desire to get out of bed, after they'd finally worn each other out. Despite her better judgement, Matt had convinced her to let him take the lead after the first couple of rounds. Maybe that's why he was sleeping soundly while she lay wide awake despite being mentally and physically exhausted.

She had no idea what time it was, but she was pretty sure they'd gone at it for most of the night, only stopping the touching and kissing and sucking and incredible sex when neither of them had the energy to move anymore. At that point, they'd settled into the position they were now in, alternating between talking and laying in silence as they basked in each other's presence. Occasionally, she'd lift her head enough to place a few chaste kisses along Matt's jaw. Now that he was asleep though, she couldn't help but worry that she'd lose herself in thoughts of how close she'd come to losing him that day.

It had certainly made their lovemaking even more amazing than normal and resulted in the best sex she'd ever had. Still, she would gladly trade everything that she'd experienced tonight if it meant that this morning hadn't happened. A repeat of today was certainly not on her to do list even if it meant just the normal level of amazingness that was their love life. It's not like Matt had ever given her anything to complain about in that department. She was positive that worst he was capable of was just really good sex, but even if that wasn't the case, nothing was worth Matt nearly dying. Nothing.

Turning her attention towards Matt's form, Gabby shifted slightly so she could watch him sleep. As she did so she realized that she was happy. She and Matt were together and holding each other. Happy. Together. Holding each other. That was how Matt said he wanted her to remember them. Only she didn't have to remember. She got to live it. She had never been more grateful for anything.

* * *

Author's Note: I feel like I should start by saying that I've gone back and forth all summer on whether or not this is actually what I want to happen in the premiere. This is probably too optimistic to be realistic, but we don't have to deal with a character death, which even if there is an exit, is nice. I did some online research on all the medical stuff around Mouch and Matt, but I don't have a medical background so I can't guarantee that any of it is accurate or realistic. I was definitely aiming for those outcomes though.

Understand that towards the end it got a bit more on the hot and heavy side. I didn't think it went far enough to warrant an M rating, but please let me know if you disagree so I can change the rating accordingly.

Anyways, hope it wasn't meandering or repetitive. I wanted to show the rest of the day, and I enjoy writing Dawsey talking about all the crap they wind up dealing with.

To all my Dawsey fans, here's to hoping that in 20 days and a few hours, we'll be watching a glorious reunion.

One last reminder that reviews are always welcome. Until next time.


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